China Announces Suspended Death Sentences For Two Ex-Ministers

China on Thursday announced suspended death sentences for two former defense ministers convicted of graft, the first rulings since Chinese leader Xi Jinping started a sweeping military purge in 2023.

Wei Fenghe, 72, and Li Shangfu, 68, were both sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve by a military court, according to the state broadcaster CCTV. There will be no possibility of parole, the report added, meaning both will be jailed for life.